There are fears of an outbreak of cholera and other water-borne diseases in Kuwadzana high-density suburb in Harare as residents have resorted to unsafe sources of water.
Kuwadzana residents have gone for several days without tap water.
They accused council of not treating the matter as urgent and its failure to replace a burst pipe.
Harare Residents Trust director Precious Shumba said: “The risk of these shortages is that there is a possibility of disease outbreaks, thus worsening the state of health service delivery.”
Shumba said residents in parts of Harare and Chitungwiza have had erratic water supplies, adding that the City of Harare has experienced several problems including, but not limited to, aged underground water pipes, leakages and theft of water along the water distribution network, and lately shortages of water treatment chemicals. Council spokesperson Innocent Ruwende said the pipe would be replaced today.
“The pipe which was removed yesterday will be fitted tomorrow (today) and we expect water supplies to be restored,” Ruwende said.
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